Methods for preparing particle precursor, and particle precursor prepared thereby

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a method for preparing core-shell structured particle precursor under a co-precipitation reaction. In this method, by controlling the feeding of different types of anion compositions and/or cation compositions, and adjusting the pH to match with the species, precipitated particles are deposited to form a precipitated particle slurry, filtering, and drying the precipitated particle slurry to yield the particle precursor. The invention also provides a particle precursor which includes a core-shell structure. The shell is made of gradient anions and/or cations. Such particle precursor can be used to prepare cathode of lithium-ion battery.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a method for preparing a lithium-ion battery cathode, particularly, to a method for preparing particle precursor without using organic chelating additives to alter the precipitation rates, and a particle precursor prepared by the method above, and also relates to a method for preparing cathode active particles therefrom.

BACKGROUND ART

The lithium-ion battery, originally commercialized in early 1990s, has come to dominate the energy storage market for hand-held, electronic consumer devices. This is because the battery is rechargeable and has high mass and volume energy density. Lithium-ion batteries are also being extensively investigated for electric vehicle applications currently. In electric vehicles, it is desirable that the battery cathode has high capacity, high power, improved safety, long cycle life, low toxicity and lower production costs. However, current cathode materials generally fail to meet all these requirements.

One reason why current cathode material fails to meet all the desired characteristics is that it is difficult to process complex multi-metal materials. As a matter of fact, one method suitable for processing certain transition-metal elements may not suit for processing other transition-metal elements which are desired to be integrated into the cathode particles. Hence, at such circumstance, other additives or agents would be needed to join the processing. For example, when preparing transition-metal precursor particles by a co-precipitation process, Ni—Mn—Co (abbr. NMC) is desired to be combined with aluminum (abbr. Al) to form the cathode precursor particles. However, Al would not precipitate homogeneously with the Ni—Mn—Co under conventional hydroxide processing conditions. Hence, complicated additives and complexing agents would have to be added into the reactor and join the reaction therein. This would bring the following disadvantages: first, the costs would be increased due to the feeding of the additives and complexing agents; second, removal of such additives and complexing agents would need extra work and would lead to waste of water.

When synthesizing NMC particles by such co-precipitation method, several anion species would inevitably exist therein, such as oxalate, carbonate and hydroxide. Generally, hydroxide is the most preferable anion when using the co-precipitation method in industry, since it yields high-density particles. Such high-density particles are beneficial for high energy density cells. However, the existence of such anions would do no good for the improvement of cathode electrochemical performance since they would lead to changes in porosity, crystallite size, or local atomic ordering. To achieve high electrochemical performance, it is desirable to select suitable processing conditions for certain cathode element (i.e., Al) combinations based on electrochemical differences of various co-precipitation anions.

However, the addition of Al into the metal hydroxide cathode precursor is challenging. The solubility product constant (Ksp) of Al is orders of magnitudes lower at the pH ranges typically of NMC based particles, which result in fast and excessive precipitation and unusual secondary particle growth. As examples, four conventional methods of depositing Al are described below.

U.S. Pat. No. 9,406,930B discloses a method to deposit NCA (abbr. Ni—Co—Al) compositions as a shell on a core of NMC nucleates, during which the pH value is adjusted to a lower value to facilitate the deposition of Al. As a matter of fact, the pH value of below 10 is suitable for Al deposition. However, in such method, the pH value is 12 to 14 at a reference liquid temperature of 25° C., much higher than 10. Hence, such method results in uneven Al deposition and needs long reaction time, which leads to greatly cumulated particle surface area. None of these is desirable.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,216,676B2 discloses a method in which Al is deposited on LiCoO₂, LiMn₂O₄ and NMC cathode active material particles. During which the ratio of Co to the transition metal is controlled to be greater than 50% while adjusting the pH near 9. As a result, the coating is only present on the particle surface, not within the particle during the deposition, which is performed on a final material. Hence, such method fails to integrate Al within the particle structure, especially for Ni-rich materials with little or no Co present.

U.S. Pat. No. 9,876,226B provides precursor cathode particles which are dry-coated with smaller alumina particles. Such method relies on Al ions to diffuse into the structure during heating. However, for Ni-rich cathode materials, high heat treatment would result in formation of inactive rock-salts, which degrades the cathode performance. Hence, it is typically not desirable.

CN106207140A discloses a method in which the aluminum (Al) is added during co-precipitation to NC (abbr. Ni—Co) materials at the existence of a special complexing agent or chelator. Such complexing agent brings complexity to the process, and results in additional treatment of waste water. The feeding of organic chelator would adversely affect the reaction time. However, such method fails to avoid using such complexing agent or chelator.

Meanwhile, another problem to achieve high electrochemical performance is that during the preparation of active material, water produced from hydroxide-based cathodes would cause corrosion to processing equipment, which may damage the cathode particle performance, since high water vapor contents are associated with large grains observed on the particles after calcination. Generally, one method to solve such problem is to increase the volumetric flowrates of the reaction gas within the reactor. However, it could only accelerate the removal rate, but fails to mitigate the water generation. Further, such method also increases production costs, and could not reduce the downstream corrosion. In fact, in some cases the corrosion may increase since more oxidative gas is used. On one hand, using much oxidative gas could promote the water removal, on the other hand, it could also increase the corrosion to the processing unit. Hence, removal of some water generation under the premise of not leading to corrosion is still not solved.

Further, there is still other problem remained unsolved for lithium-ion cathode materials. On one hand, since cobalt (abbr. Co) performs a dumbbell configuration due to the movement of its atoms, such configuration makes the movement of Ni/Li switching hard, which in turn block the migration path of the Ni and Li. Because of this, Co decreases the site exchange between the transition metals such as Ni to Li, and further benefit for better electrochemical performance. On the other hand, transition metal composition, such as Co, has a major influence on the costs since Co is the most expensive transition metal. Hence, it is desirable to abandon Co from the structure of cathode particles while improving the electrochemical performance simultaneously.

Technical Problem

First, it is difficult to add Al into metal hydroxide cathode precursor while achieving high electrochemical performance. Second, during the preparation of active particles, water produced from hydroxide-based cathodes would cause corrosion to the equipment. Third, Co is expensive which makes the cost much higher.

Technical Solution

The present disclosure provides a method for preparing core-shell structured particle precursor, the core-shell structured particle precursor may be combined with metals such as lithium to form cathode active particles which can be used for lithium-ion batteries.

The method for preparing a core-shell structured particle precursor includes at least the following steps: from an initial time t₀ to a first time t₁, feeding a first anion composition B₁ through a first container into a reactor, and feeding a first cation composition A₁ through a second container into the reactor, the first anion composition B₁ and the first cation composition A₁ reacting and precipitating in the reactor, t₁ comes after t₀, t₀=0; at the first time t₁, the first container is full of the first anion composition B₁, the second container is full of the first cation composition A₁; feeding a second anion composition B₂ and the first anion composition B₁ through the first container into the reactor from the first time t₁ to a second time t₂, t₂ comes after t₁, during which the first anion composition B₁ is gradually switched to the second anion composition B₂; and feeding at least the first cation composition A₁ through the second container into the reactor from the first time t₁ to the second time t₂, thereby forming a precipitated particle slurry; and filtering, and drying the precipitated particle slurry to yield the particle precursor.

In one embodiment, the step that the first anion composition B₁ is gradually switched to the second anion composition B₂ includes the following steps: at the first time t₁, the first container is full of the first anion composition B₁; gradually feeding the second anion composition B₂ into the first container from the first time t₁ to a second time t₂, t₂ comes after t₁, where the first anion composition B₁ and the second anion composition B₂ form a dynamic mixture; and feeding the dynamic mixture through the first container into the reactor from the first time t₁ to the second time t₂, at the second time t₂, the first container is mainly full of the second anion composition B₂.

In one embodiment, method further includes the following step: feeding the second anion composition B₂ and the first cation composition A₁ into the reactor from the second time t₂ to a third time t₃, t₃ comes after t₂.

In one embodiment, during the initial time t₀ to the second time t₂, only the first cation composition A₁ is fed into the reactor.

In another embodiment, from the initial time t₀ to the first time t₁, only the first cation composition A₁ is fed through the second container into the reactor; and from the first time t₁ to the second time t₂, feeding a second cation composition A₂ and the first cation composition A₁ through the second container into the reactor, during which the first cation composition A₁ is gradually switched to the second cation composition A₂.

In still another embodiment, from the initial time t₀ to a switching time t_(s), only the first cation composition A₁ is fed through the second container into the reactor, t_(s) is between the first time t₁ and the second time t₂; and from the switching time t_(s) to the second time t₂, feeding a second cation composition A₂ and the first cation composition A₁ through the second container into the reactor, during which the first cation composition A₁ is gradually switched to the second cation composition A₂. The present disclosure still provides a core-shell structured particle precursor, which is prepared by the methods above. The core-shell structured particle precursor includes a core and a shell enwrapping the core, the core is made of precipitations of a first anion composition B₁ and a first cation composition A₁, the shell is gradient and is made of co-precipitations of the first anion composition B₁, a second anion composition B₂ and at least the first cation composition A₁, the first anion composition B₁ is gradually changed to the second anion composition B₂ in the shell from inner to outer.

In one embodiment, the shell further includes a second cation composition A₂, the first cation composition A₁ is gradually changed to the second cation composition A₂ within the shell.

In another embodiment, the particle precursor further includes a periphery part enwrapping the shell, the periphery part is made of precipitations of the second anion composition B₂ and the first cation composition A₁.

In still another embodiment, the shell is divided into an intermediate part and a gradient part based on the cations, the first anion composition B₁ is gradually changed to the second anion composition B₂ within the shell, the intermediate part further includes the first cation composition A₁, the gradient part further includes the first cation composition A₁ and the second cation composition A₂, the first cation composition A₁ is gradually changed to the second cation composition A₂ within the gradient part. In any of the embodiment of this invention, at time t₁ when the second anion composition B₂ is to be fed into the first container, the description “the first container is full of the first anion composition B₁” is not just mean that there is only the first anion composition B₁ in the first container but mean that the container has the first anion composition B₁ and also small amount of the second anion composition B₂ at the critical time t₁.

In any of the embodiment of this invention, at time t₁ and/or t_(s) when the second cation composition A₂ needs to be fed into the second container, the description “the first container is full of the first cation composition A₁” does not just mean that there is only the first cation composition A₁ in the first container but means that besides the first cation composition A₁, there is also small amount of the second cation composition A₂ at the critical time t₁ and/or t_(s).

In any of the embodiment of this invention, at the time t₁, t₂, and/or t₃, when adding the second anion composition B₂, there may still exits small amount of the first anion composition B₁ in the first container. In any of the embodiment of this invention, at the time t₁, t₂, and/or t_(s), when adding the second cation composition A₂, there may still exits small amount of the first cation composition A₁ in the first container.

Advantageous Effects

The method of the present disclosure has the following advantages: Firstly, since different cations can be precipitated with different anions separately, the transition metal cations (dopants) that are incompatible with the core anion species under the processing conditions can be easily added to the particle precursor in the shell. And vice versa, wherein cations or other dopants that can only be compatible with the core anion under the processing conditions can be added to the particle before switching to an incompatible processing location for the shell. Particularly, Al³⁺ can be added to the particle precursor during the co-precipitation under the premise that there is hydroxide in the solution which can form precipitation with Al³⁺; in such conditions, no additional organic chelating additives are needed to remove Al³⁺, and the precipitation kinetics are avoided to be slowed without chelating agents. Because of this, Ni-rich particles precursor can have Al dopant into the particle without using organic chelating additives, the Ni-rich particles precursor has a mole ratio of Ni to transitional metals higher than 0.7. The concentration of Al³⁺ deposited into the particles can be adjusted based on the time feeding the Al³⁺ dopants and the time when switching the anions.

Secondly, no matter where the gradient portion is located, in the core or in the shell, the concentration gradient of the anion species ensures that the transition between different anion species is smooth, that is, the transition from the former anion to the latter is not a sharp change, but a gradual switching. Because of this, the gradient portion endows the particle precursor a gradient surface, which makes the transition from the portion having only the first anion to the portion having both the first and second anions becomes more smoothly. The particle precursor is more solid during later processing, and cracks or delamination would not occur. This has great improved the duration and life-span of the cathode particles prepared based on the particle precursor.

Thirdly, due to the feeding of elements Ni, Mn, Al etc. into the reaction, the cobalt content will be below 20% of the total transition metal ratio, and preferably below 5%, and more preferably 0% cobalt will be present in the cathode precursor particle. Because of this, the cost is greatly decreased.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of the reaction device to form the full-gradient particle precursors in one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of a core-shell structured particle precursor of a first example, which has a core and a shell enwrapping the core, the core is made of only a first anion B₁, the shell is made of the first anion B₁ and a second anion B₂, in which the first anion B₁ is gradually switched to the second anion B₂, meanwhile the first cation A₁ is constant both in the core and the shell.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of a core-shell structured particle precursor of a second example, which has a core and a shell enwrapping the core, the core is made of a first anion B₁ and a first cation A₁, and the shell is made of the first anion B₁ and the second anion B₂, and the first cation A₁ and the second cation A₂, in which the first anion B₁ is gradually switched to the second anion B₂, meanwhile the first cation A₁ is also gradually switched to the second cation A₂.

FIG. 4 shows a schematic view of a core-shell structured particle precursor of a third example, which has a core and a shell enwrapping the core, the core includes a first anion B₁ and a first cation A₁; the shell includes the first anion B₁, a second anion B₂, the first cation A₁ and a second cation A₂, in which the first anion B₁ is gradually switched to the second anion B₂, meanwhile the first cation A₁ is constant for a certain period and then gradually switched to the second cation A₂.

FIG. 5 shows a schematic view of a core-shell structured particle precursor of a fourth example, which has a core and a shell, a first cation A₁ is constant through the particle precursor, meanwhile the core includes a first anion B₁, the shell includes the first anion B₁ and a second anion B₂, in which the first anion B₁ is gradually switched to a second anion B₂ in the shell; meanwhile, a first cation A₁ is constant in the core, and gradually switched to a second cation A₂ in the shell, besides the particle precursor further includes an outer part enwrapping the shell, which includes the second anion B₂ and the first cation A₁.

FIG. 6 shows SEM image of cross-sectional particle precursors of Embodiment 1.

FIG. 7 shows carbon intensity derived from the SEM image of cross-sectional particle precursors of Embodiment 1.

MODE FOR THE INVENTION

The present disclosure will now be described more specifically with reference to the following embodiments. It is to be noted that the following descriptions of preferred embodiments of this invention are presented herein for purpose of illustration and description only. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to be limited to the precise form disclosed.

In the embodiments below, particle precursors with anion-gradient core-shell structures will be prepared by a co-precipitation reaction, and the solution volume where the reaction takes place is defined as a precipitation zone.

The method for preparing such anion-gradient core-shell structured particle precursors includes the following steps: firstly, vacuuming the precipitation zone and/or filling with He, N₂ or Ar gas, for example, blanketing or bubbling the precipitation zone by He, N₂ or Ar gas.

Next, introducing a stream (b) into a reactor for providing precipitating anions, feeding stream (a) for providing transitional-metal cations, whereby the precipitating anions and the transitional-metal cations reacting to form a precipitated particle slurry; the stream (a) includes at least a first cation composition A₁; the stream (b) includes at least a first anion composition B₁ and a second anion composition B₂, both are fed simultaneously from an initial time t₀ to a second time t₂, a concentration of the first anion composition B₁ is constant from the initial time t₀ to a first time t₁, and then gradually switched to the second anion composition B₂ from the first time t₁ to the second time t₂, in which t₁ comes after to and t₂ comes after t₁. The initial time t₀ refers to a time when the first cation A₁ and the first anion B₁ are initially fed into the reactor and starts to precipitate, t₀=0. The first time t₁ refers to a critical time when both the first anion B₁ and the second anion B₂ start to be fed into the reactor and co-precipitation occurs.

Finally, filtering and drying the precipitated particle slurry to yield the particle precursor.

Particularly, the feeding of stream (b) is as follows: firstly, feeding the first anion composition B₁ through a first container into the rector from the initial time t₀ to the first time t₁; since the first container have certain space to occupy liquids, it is filled with the first anion composition B₁ when reaching the first time t₁; secondly, feeding the second anion composition B₂ through the first container into the reactor at certain flowrate from the first time t₁ to the second time t₂, hence, the first anion composition B₁ and the second anion composition B₂ form a dynamic mixture solution, which are fed into the reactor through the first container from the first time t₁ to the second time t₂. At the second time t₁, the dynamic mixture includes mainly the second anion composition B₂. Hence, during such step, from the initial time t₀ to the first time t₁, there is only the first anion composition B₁ fed into the reactor, while from the first time t₁ to the second time t₂, the first anion composition B₁ is gradually switched into the second anion composition B₂.

FIG. 1 shows a flow diagram of the method above in one embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, in such embodiment, the first anion composition B₁ is fed through a first container directly to the reactor, while the second anion composition B₂ is continuously fed into the first container and mixed with the first anion composition B₁ to form a dynamic mixture, and then the dynamic mixture is further fed through the first container into the reactor.

In one embodiment, the first anion composition B₁ has a constant flowrate or concentration from the initial time t₀ to the first time t₁.

In the process of the present disclosure, the stream (b) functions to provide anions which would enter the precipitation particles, the concentration of the anions in stream (b) is 0.001-14 (mol anion/L). Meanwhile, the anion composition B; (i=1, 2, . . . ), i.e., B₁, or B₂ is selected from the group consisting of NaOH, Na₂CO₃, NaHCO₃, Na₂C₂O₄, LiOH, Li₂CO₃, LiHCO₃, Li₂C₂O₄, KOH, K₂CO₃, KHCO₃, K₂C₂O₄ or some combination of the species listed above. In one embodiment, the first anion composition B₁ is a solution entirely configured from hydroxide salts. In another embodiment, the second anion composition B₂ includes [CO₃] salts, [C₂O₄] salts, [OH] salts, or some combination of the species listed.

In one embodiment, the first anion composition B₁ includes hydroxide anion, a content of the hydroxide anion in the stream (b) is no less than 80 wt %. The second anion composition B₂ includes carbonate anion and/or oxalic anion, a content of the carbonate and/or oxalic anions is no less than 40 wt % in the steam (b).

With regard to the cations, in the present disclosure, stream (a) functions to provide transitional-metal cations. Stream (a) includes the cations for precipitation with a concentration from 0.001-6 mol cation/L. The cations provided by stream (a) is at least one selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Zr, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Al or some combination of the species listed above. The cation(s) provided by stream (a) is in a form of sulfate, carbonate, chloride, nitrate, fluoride, oxide, hydroxide, oxyhydroxide, oxalate, carboxylate or acetate, phosphate or borate.

Stream (a) has at least one cation composition species. In one embodiment, for example, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, stream (a) only has one cation, i.e., a first cation composition A₁. In another embodiment, for example, as shown in FIGS. 3-4, the stream (a) has a first cation composition A₁ and a second cation composition A₂. Optionally, during the method for preparing the core-shell structure particle precursor, additional streams (e . . . z) may also be introduced into the reactor to add additional species to the reaction, or to remove solvent through an in-situ thickening device.

Please note that in the present disclosure, the “core” and “shell” are named merely based on the anions distribution.

The method above produces a core-shell structured particle precursor, which includes a core and a shell enwrapping the core, as shown in FIGS. 2-5. The core is in the center of the particle precursor, which is made of precipitations formed by the first anion composition B₁ and the first cation composition A₁ from the initial time t₀ to the first time t₁, the first anion composition B₁ and the first cation composition A₁ have uniform concentration separately. The shell is in the periphery of the core, which is made of co-precipitations formed by the first anion composition B₁, the second anion composition B₂ and at least the first cation composition A₁, in which the first anion composition B₁ is gradually switched to the second anion composition B₂ from inner to outer.

In detail, in one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the core-shell structured particle precursor includes a core and a shell, the core is made of precipitations formed by the first anion composition B₁ and the first cation composition A₁ fed from the initial time t₀ to the first time t₁, the shell is made of co-precipitations formed by the first anion composition B₁, the second anion composition B₂ and the first cation composition A₁ fed from the first time t₁ to the second time t₂, in which the first anion composition B₁ is gradually switched to the second anion composition B₂, meanwhile the first cation composition A₁ is constant.

As shown in FIG. 3, in another embodiment, the core-shell structured particle precursor includes a core and a shell, the core is made of precipitations formed by the first anion composition B₁ and the first cation composition A₁ fed from the initial time t₀ to the first time t₁, the shell is made of co-precipitations formed by the first anion composition B₁, the second anion composition B₂, the first cation composition A₁ and the second cation composition A₂ fed from the first time t₁ to the second time t₂, in which the first anion composition B₁ is gradually switched to the second anion composition B₂, meanwhile the first cation composition A₁ is gradually switched to the second cation composition A₂.

As shown in FIG. 4, in still another embodiment, the core-shell structured particle precursor includes a core and a shell, the core is made of precipitations formed by the first anion composition B₁ and the first cation composition A₁ fed from the initial time t₀ to the first time t₁, the shell is made of co-precipitations formed by the first anion composition B₁, the second anion composition B₂, the first cation composition A₁ and the second cation composition A₂ fed from the first time t₁ to the second time t₂, in which the first anion composition B₁ is gradually switched to the second anion composition B₂, meanwhile the first cation composition A₁ is still constant from the first time t₁ to a switching time t_(s), and then gradually switched to the second cation composition A₂ from the switching time t_(s) to the second time t₂. The switching time t_(s) is between the first time t₁ and the second time t₂.

Hence, the shell in FIG. 4 is divided into two parts due to the difference in cations, i.e., a uniform cation part and a full-gradient cation part, the uniform cation part includes only the first cation composition A₁, and the full-gradient cation part includes the first cation composition A₁ and the second cation composition A₂, in which the first cation composition A₁ is gradually switched to the second cation composition A₂ from the switching time t_(s) to the second time t₂.

As shown in FIG. 5, in yet another embodiment, the core-shell structured particle precursor includes three parts, a core, a shell and a periphery shell. The core and the shell are the same as that in FIG. 2. The difference from FIG. 2 is that the particle precursor in FIG. 5 further includes the periphery shell which is made of precipitations made by the second anion composition B₂ and the first cation composition A₁ fed from the second time t₂ to a third time t₃. The third time t₃ refers to a time when reaction ends.

In the embodiments of FIGS. 2-5, during the precipitation of B₁ from the initial time t₀ to the first time t₁, the step of feeding the stream (b) includes the following step: feeding the first anion composition B₁ through the first container to the reactor from the initial time t₀ to the first time t₁, and the first container is in a state full of the first anion composition B₁.

During the co-precipitation of B₁ and B₂ from the first time t₁ to the second time t₂, at the first time t₁, the first container is filled with the first anion composition B₁, the first container is connected with the reactor; the step that the first anion composition B₁ is gradually switched to the second anion composition B₂ from the first time t₁ to the second time t₂ includes the following steps: feed the second anion composition B₂ into the first container with certain flowrate from the first time t₁ to the second time t₂, the first anion composition B₁ and the second anion composition B₂ form a dynamic mixture solution; and feeding the dynamic mixture solution into the reactor through the first container from the first time t₁ to a second time t₂, at the first time t₁, the dynamic mixture fed into the reactor is mainly the first anion composition B₁, while at the second time t₂, the dynamic mixture is mainly the second anion composition B₂.

Besides, in the embodiment of FIG. 5, from the second time t₂ to the third time t₃, the second anion composition B₂ is further fed through the first container into the reactor.

Generally, the instantaneous anion composition B, being fed into the co-precipitation zone during the gradient portion can be described as:

${B = \frac{{B_{i}V_{i}} + {\left( {{F_{B2}B2} - {B_{i}F_{B}}} \right)\left( {t_{i + 1} - t_{i}} \right)}}{V_{i + 1}}},$

where V_(i) is the volume of feed solvent that starts as the first anion composition B₁ continuously altered by the second anion composition B₂; F_(B2) is the flowrate of the second anion composition solution B₂ into the reactor, and t is the time of the reaction.

In one embodiment, before the first time t₁, the first anion composition B₁ is fed uniformly, after the first time t₁, the first anion composition B₁ is gradually altered to the second anion composition B₂ at the second time t₂.

In one embodiment, the first time t₁ is greater than 50% of the whole reaction time. In another embodiment, the first time t₁ is greater than 75% of the whole reaction time.

In one embodiment, the first anion composition B₁ is a solution entirely configured from hydroxide salts. In another embodiment, the second anion composition B₂ includes [CO₃] salts, [C₂O₄] salts, [OH] salts, or some combination of the species listed.

In one embodiment, the flowrate or concentration of stream (b) are constant during the co-precipitation reaction before the first time t₁. In another embodiment, the flowrate or concentration of stream (b) is gradually changed during the reaction. In still another embodiment, the flowrate and the concentration begin to change from the first time t₁ when the first anion composition B₁ is gradually changed to the second anion composition B₂.

In the embodiment of FIG. 3, during the precipitation of A₁ from the initial time t₀ to the first time t₁, the step of feeding the stream (a) includes the following step: feeding the first cation composition A₁ through a second container to the reactor from the initial time t₀ to the first time t₁, during which the first cation composition A₁ is also filled into the second container, which makes the second container in a state full of the first cation composition A₁ at the first time t₁. Because of this, the core is formed to have only the first cation composition A₁ with uniform concentration.

During the co-precipitation of A₁ and A₂ from the first time t₁ to the second time t₂, in which at the first time t₁, the second container is filled with the first cation composition A₁, the second container is connected with the reactor; the step that the first cation composition A₁ is gradually switched to the second cation composition A₂ from the first time t₁ to the second time t₂ includes the following steps: feed the second cation composition A₂ into the second container with certain flowrate from the first time t₁ to the second time t₂, the first cation composition A₁ and the second cation composition A₂ form a dynamic mixture solution; and feeding the dynamic mixture solution into the reactor through the second container from the first time t₁ to the second time t₂, at the first time t₁, the dynamic mixture solution fed into the reactor is mainly the first cation composition A₁, while at the second time t₂, the dynamic mixture is mainly the second cation composition A₂. In the embodiment of FIG. 4, during the precipitation of A₁ from the initial time t₀ to the switching time t_(s), the step of feeding the stream (a) includes the following step: feeding the first cation composition A₁ through a second container to the reactor from the initial time t₀ to the switching time t_(s), during which the first cation composition A₁ is also filled into the second container, which makes the second container in a state full of the first cation composition A₁ at the switching time t_(s). During the co-precipitation of A₁ and A₂ from the switching time t_(s) to the second time t₂, in which at the switching time t_(s), the second container is filled with the first cation composition A₁, the second container is connected with the reactor; the step that the first cation composition A₁ is gradually switched to the second cation composition A₂ from the switching time t_(s) to the second time t₂ includes the following steps: feed the second cation composition A₂ into the second container with certain flowrate from the switching time t_(s) to the second time t₂, the first cation composition A₁ and the second cation composition A₂ form a dynamic mixture solution; and feeding the dynamic mixture solution into the reactor through the second container from the switching time t₁ to the second time t₂, at the switching time t₁, the dynamic mixture solution fed into the reactor is mainly the first cation composition A₁, while at the second time t₂, the dynamic mixture is mainly the second cation composition A₂.

In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the first cation composition A₁ is fed from the initial time t₀ to the second time t₂. In the embodiment of FIG. 5, the first cation composition A₁ is fed from the initial time t₀ to the third time t₃.

In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the first cation composition A₁ and the second cation composition A₂ has a cation ratio of Ni_(x)Mn_(y)Co_(z)Me_(1-x-y-z) where x+y+z≥0.9, z≤0.2, and “Me” refers to one or more additional metal elements selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Zr, Ti, V, Cr, Fe, Cu and Al. In one embodiment, z<0.05. In another embodiment, z=0. In another embodiment, “Me” is Al, Mg, Zr, Ti or some combination of the species listed above.

Please note that in the particle precursor product, the “first anion composition B₁”, “second anion composition B₂ ^(”) and “third anion composition B₃ ^(”) refers to the anion precipitated therein. Meanwhile, the “first anion composition B₁”, “second anion composition B₂ ^(”) and “third anion composition B₃ ^(”) in the method refers to the salts containing the anions mentioned.

The present disclosure further provides a method for preparing cathode active particles, which includes the steps below: after yielding the particle precursors above, mixing the particle precursors with a lithium source to form a mixture, and calcining the mixture to yield cathode active particles. During such calcination, lithiation reaction occurred and water removed from the mixture.

Generally, each precipitation zone volume is defined as the volume of a single mixed vessel or the sum of several processing vessels, pumps, or solid-liquid thickening devices connected in parallel.

The precipitation zone can generally be described by the following mass balance equation:

${\frac{d\left( {\rho_{c}V} \right)}{dt} = {\Sigma_{\alpha = a}^{z}F_{\alpha}\rho_{\alpha}}},$

where “a” represents for the inlet/outlet streams (a) to (z), “ρ_(α)” represents for a fluid density, “V” refers to a volume of the precipitation zone, “F_(α)” refers to a flowrate of the volumetric, “ρ_(α)” is a density of inlet streams; “ρ_(c)” is a density of accumulating fluid in the reactor which changes with time.

In one embodiment, only one precipitation zone is used, and the co-precipitation reactions occur during batch operation, the mass balance equation is defined as d(ρ_(c)V)/dt≠0.

In another embodiment, multiple precipitation zones are linked in series, d(ρ_(c)V)/dt≠0. In still another embodiment, multiple precipitation zones are linked in series, d(ρcV)/dt=0.

In the present disclosure, the cathode active particles are core-shell structured particle precursor produced by a co-precipitation reaction, size of the cathode active particles is proportional to the reaction time, and the composition deposited onto a particle at a particular time is directly related to the inlet ion compositions.

As shown in FIG. 2, the particle precursor has a core-shell structure, from the initial time t₀ to the first time t₁, the first anion composition B₁ and the first cation composition A₁ are fed into the reactor. Because of this, the core is made of the precipitations formed by the first anion composition B₁ and the first cation composition A₁. From the first time t₁ to the second time t₂, the first anion composition B₁ is gradually changed to the second anion composition B₂, and the first cation composition A₁ is still fed into the reactor at a constant flowrate or concentration. In this embodiment, the shell is made of precipitations formed by the first anion composition B₁, the second anion composition B₂ and the first cation composition A₁, in which the first anion composition B₁ is gradually switched to the second anion composition B₂, while the first cation composition A₁ is constant.

As shown in FIG. 3, the particle precursor includes a core-shell structure. In such embodiment, from the initial time t₀ to the first time t₁, only the first cation composition A₁ and the first anion composition B₁ are fed into the reactor. From the first time t₁ to the second time t₂, the first cation composition A₁ is gradually changed to the second cation composition A₂, and the first anion composition B₁ is gradually changed to the second anion composition B₂. In this embodiment, the shell is formed by co-precipitation particles which includes a first anion composition B₁ and a second anion composition B₂, and a first cation composition A₁ and a second cation composition A₂, in which the first anion composition B₁ is gradually changed to the second anion composition B₂, while the first cation composition A₁ is gradually changed to the second cation composition A₂; the core is formed by precipitation particles which includes the first anion composition B₁ and the first cation composition A₁.

In still another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the stream (a) has a first cation composition A₁ and a second cation composition A₂. From the initial time t₀ to the switching time t_(s), the first cation composition A₁ is constant, while from the switching time t_(s) to the second time t₂, the first cation composition A₁ is gradually changed to the second cation composition A₂. Meanwhile, from the initial time t₀ to the first time t₁, the first anion composition B₁ is constant; from the first time t₁ to the second time t₂, the first anion composition B₁ is gradually changed to the second anion composition B₂. Because of this, at the time period from the first time t₁ to the switching time t_(s), the shell includes an intermediate part which is formed by precipitation particles formed by anions of the first anion composition B₁ and the second anion composition B₂, and cations of the second cation composition A₂.

In this embodiment, the core is formed to have only the first cation composition A₁ and the first anion composition B₁ with constant concentration. Within the shell, it includes the first anion composition B₁ and the second anion composition B₂, in which the first anion composition B₁ is gradually changed to the second anion composition B₂. Further, the shell is divided to an intermediate part and a gradient part based on the cations. the intermediate part is formed by co-precipitation particles which include the first cation composition A₁; the gradient part is formed by co-precipitation particles which further include the first cation composition A₁ and the second cation composition A₂, in which the first cation composition A₁ is gradually changed to the second cation composition A₂.

In yet another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, different from that in FIG. 2, the particle precursor further includes a periphery part enwrapping the shell. The periphery part is made of precipitations of the second anion composition B₂ and the first cation composition A₁.

In view of the above, in one embodiment, the cation composition changes from the first composition A₁ to the second composition A₂ gradually as a gradient with time. In another embodiment, the cation composition changes from the first composition A₁ to the second composition A₂ abruptly, as a core-shell interface. The second time when A₁ switches to A₂ can occur at any moment. In one embodiment, the time when the cation composition switches from the first composition A₁ to the second composition A₂ does not coincide with the time when the anion composition change from B₁ to B₂.

In one embodiment, A₁=A₂. In such embodiment, there is only one cation composition species in stream (a) fed into the reactor from the beginning to the end. For example, in one embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5.

In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the cation composition changes from the first composition A₁ to the second composition A₂ for feeding different transitional-metal combinations will start at the same time period when the anion composition changes from the first composition B₁ to the second composition B₂ for feeding different anions deposited into the active particles, i.e., from the first time t₁ to the second time t₂. In this embodiment, since the cation composition and the anion composition changes at the same time, the deposited active particles would have a core-shell structure, the core of the particle includes the first cation composition A₁ and the first anion composition B₁, and the shell of the particle enwraps around the core and includes the gradual first cation composition A₁ and second cation composition A₂, and the gradual first anion composition B₁ and second anion composition B₂. FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of the particle precursor where the first cation A₁ and the first anion B₁ is in the core, and the first cation A₁ and second cation A₂, and the first anion B₁ and second anion B₂ is in the shell.

Further, either of the first cation composition A₁ and the second cation composition A₂ has a cation ratio of Ni_(x)Mn_(y)Co_(z)Me_(1-x-y-z), where x+y+z≥0.9, z≤0.2, and “Me” refers to one or more additional metal elements selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Zr, Ti, V, Cr, Fe, Cu and Al. In one embodiment, z<0.05. In another embodiment, z=0. In another embodiment, “Me” is Al, Mg, Zr, Ti or some combination of the species listed above.

Under the feed conditions discussed above, a precipitated particle slurry will be collected after the co-precipitation is finished, after being treated, the particle slurry is treated to yield the particle precursor. The particle precursor is expressed as (Ni_(x)Mn_(y)Co_(z)Me_(1-x-y-z))(CO₃)_(a)(OH)_(2-2a) where x+y+z≥0.9, z≤0.2, 0≤a≤1, “Me” is additional metal elements except Ni, Mn and Co, such as Mg, Ca, Zr, Ti, V, Cr, Fe, Cu and Al.

In some embodiments, the first cation composition A₁ and the second cation composition A₂ are different. In such embodiments, the first cation composition A₁ has a cation ratio of Ni_(x)Mn_(y)Co_(z)Me_(1-x-y-z), where x+y+z≥0.9, 0.75≤x≤1; 0≤z≤0.1, “Me” refers to one or more additional metal elements selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Zr, Ti, V, Cr, Fe, Cu and Al. The second cation composition A₂ has a cation ratio of Ni_(x)Mn_(y)Co_(z)Me_(1-x-y-z) where x+y+z≥0.9, 0.3≤x≤0.7; 0.25≤y≤0.5, “Me” refers to one or more additional metal elements selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Zr, Ti, V, Cr, Fe, Cu and Al.

In one embodiment, by changing the composition of stream (a), cation composition would be changed continuously for all or part of the material, thus forming a cathode whose cation is made of concentration gradient transitional-metals. In one embodiment, the transitional-metals, i.e., the cations, change during the whole process for preparing the entire particle. In another embodiment, only a portion of the particle make linear gradient shell transitional-metal particles with a core-shell anion species, others remain same. In still another embodiment, only a portion of the particle make non-linear gradient shell transitional-metal particles with a core-shell anion species. In yet another embodiment, only a portion of the particle make multi-slope gradient shell transitional-metal particles with a core-shell anion species. In still another embodiment, only a portion of the particle make core-gradient shell transitional-metal particles with a core-shell anion species. In yet another embodiment, only a portion of the particle make core-gradient-shell transition metal particles with a core-shell anion species.

In some embodiments, to obtain the gradient part of the shell, the transitional-metal feed, i.e., the stream (a) which provides the first cation composition A₁ and the second cation composition A₂ has a cation ratio of Ni_(x)Mn_(y)Co_(z)Me_(1-x-y-z), where x+y+z≥0.9, z≤0.2, “Me” refers to one or more additional metal elements selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Zr, Ti, V, Cr, Fe, Cu and Al, the first cation composition A₁ is selected from 0.85≤x≤1; 0≤z≤0.1, the second cation composition A₂ is selected from 0.4≤x≤0.7; 0.25≤y≤0.5.

In one embodiment, the start of gradient part in shell, or the change in slope for multi-slope cathode particles can occur at any time during the particle process.

In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the time when the first cation composition A₁ starts to gradually be switching to the second cation composition A₂ does not coincide with the time when the first anion composition B₁ starts to gradually be switching to the second anion composition B₂. FIG. 4 shows a particle precursor which is produced by a method wherein the first anion composition B₁ starts to be switched to the second anion composition B₂ at a time different from that when the first cation composition A₁ starts to be switched to the second cation composition A₂. Hence, for the anions and the cations, the interface of the anions B₁ and B₂ does not coincide with the interface of the cations A₁ and A₂.

In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, for the anions B₁ and B₂, since B₁ starts to be switched to B₂ from the first time t₁, and therefore forms a shell which contains B₁ and B₂ with gradual concentration, hence, there is a clear interface formed at the first time t₁ in the particle. For the cations, since there is only one cation A₁ is fed into the reactor during the whole process, there is no clear interface of A₁ in the particle.

In one embodiment, the gradient part in the shell initiates when B₁ starts to be switched to B₂. In another embodiment, the slope change for multi-slope gradient particles undergoes the change when B₁ equals B₂.

The stream (e_(i) . . . z_(i)) includes additional solvents, surface acting agents or de-foaming agents. For example, the solvent is at least one selected from ethanol, isopropanol, ionic liquids and so on. The surface acting agents may be alky sulfates such as sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), alkyl trimethyl ammonia species such as cetyltrimethyl ammonia (CTAB), glycols, glycerides. The de-foaming agent is ethanol.

In one embodiment, dopant is also fed into the reactor. The dopant refers to salts of metal elements other than Ni, Co and Mn, labeled as “Me”. In one embodiment, the dopant species is Al₂(SO₄)₃. As a dopant element, Al³⁺ would be precipitated together with other cations. In such embodiment, Al³⁺ can be added to the cathode particle precursor during co-precipitation without using an additional chelating additive to slow the precipitation kinetics. Further, in such embodiment, the cathode particle precursor is Ni-rich material in which a ratio between Ni and transitional metal is larger than 0.7, and still includes the Al dopant without using an organic chelating additive. The thickness and depth of Al³⁺ depositing into the particle precursor can be tailored and regulated based on the time when the anions start to be gradually switched and the time when feeding Al³⁺ thereinto.

Solids with different cation-anion pairings have different equilibrium solubilities, as is tested by the solubility product, Ksp. During precipitation the Ksp value is the thermodynamic limit of metal ions precipitating out of solution, with different anions and pH having an influence. By adjusting the solution pH and anion, the precipitations possible and the stability of said cations in the solid form is adjusted, which is desirable for cathode precursor particles to better control the selection of dopants available for use during a co-precipitation reaction.

The pH of each precipitation zone is maintained at a range of 7-13. In one embodiment, the pH is at a range of 9.5-12.5 when precipitating hydroxides and at a range of 7-10 when precipitating carbonates.

In one embodiment, the pH is constant regardless of the anion species being fed for the co-precipitation. In another embodiment, the pH starts to be changed at the time when the first anion composition B₁ starts to be gradually switched to the second anion composition B₂.

The precipitation zone agitated vessel is well mixed during the feeding, and has a Re>6,400, with a mixing time from 0 to 1,200 seconds. In one embodiment, the mixing time is 0 to 120 seconds. In another embodiment, the mixing time is 0 to 45 seconds. The precipitation zone temperature is maintained between 30 and 80° C. In one embodiment, the precipitation zone temperature is maintained between 45 and 60° C.

Table 1 shows the solubility product constant (K_(sp)) of carbonate and hydroxide materials. As can be seen from table 1 that the solubility product constant (K_(sp)) of carbonate is larger than that of hydroxide. Theoretically, more hydroxide materials precipitate than the carbonate materials under the same pH. The K_(sp) and pH are usually two main factors determining the solubility of a substance. In table 1, “(II)” means a valence of the metal element in the precipitation is divalent.

TABLE 1 Solubility Product Constants near 25° C. Ionic Compound K_(sp) Ionic Compound K_(sp) Aluminum hydroxide 1.3 × 10⁻³³ Aluminum carbonate (not stable) N/A Cobalt(II) hydroxide 1.6 × 10⁻¹⁵ Cobalt(II) carbonate 1.4 × 10⁻¹³ Magnesium hydroxide 1.8 × 10⁻¹¹ Magnesium carbonate 3.5 × 10⁻⁸  Manganese(II) hydroxide 1.9 × 10⁻¹³ Manganese(II) carbonate 1.8 × 10⁻¹¹ Nickel(II) hydroxide 2.0 × 10⁻¹⁵ Nickel(II) carbonate 6.6 × 10⁻⁹ 

In another embodiment, the pH is constant regardless of the anion species being fed for the co-precipitation. In such embodiment, both the first anion composition B₁ and the second anion composition B₂ have a constant and same pH, for example, at a range of 9-10.5.

In some embodiments, the pH changes during the time period that the anion composition switches from B₁ to B₂. For example, the pH changes during the time period when hydroxide is switched to carbonate, since the first anion composition B₁ is hydroxide which has a pH of 10-14, and the second anion composition B₂ is carbonate which has a pH much lower.

In some embodiments, the pH gradually changes during the entire reaction, or for a specified duration of the reaction.

After sufficient time till the precipitation ends, the precipitation particles are deposited from the precipitation zone to from a particle slurry, which is collected in a hold-up tank or directly fed to a solid-liquid filtration device to obtain precipitated particles. The filtration device may be a plate and frame filter, candlestick filter, centrifuge, vacuum drum filter, pressure drum filter, hydrocyclone, nutsche filter, clarifier or some combination of devices. Next, the filtered precipitated particles (i.e., the filter cake) are washed to remove byproduct salts from the precipitation reactions.

And then, the precipitated particles are dried under vacuum at an atmosphere of N₂, Ar or air for 3-24 hours between 80-200° C., thus forming the precipitated particles precursor.

Once dried, the precipitated particles precursor is contacted and well mixed with a lithium source to form a mixture. The lithium source is selected from lithium hydroxide (i.e., LiOH), LiOH.H₂O, lithium carbonate (Li₂CO₃), LiNO₃, lithium acetate, lithium metal or Li₂O. In one embodiment, the lithium source is lithium hydroxide. In another embodiment, the lithium source is lithium carbonate.

In one embodiment, a mole ratio between Li from the lithium source and the metal cation from stream (a) is in a range of 0.5-1.5. In another embodiment, the mole ratio is 0.9-1.15. In still another embodiment, the mole ratio is 1.01-1.10.

After the lithium source and the precipitated particles precursor are mixed uniformly to form a mixture, calcine the mixture under a temperature of 300-950° C., wherein multiple hold temperatures and ramp rates may be used. For example, firstly controlling the temperature at 300-500° C. for 2-20 hours, and then raising temperature to 700-850° C. and maintaining for 2-20 hours. The ramp rate during heating is from 0.5 to 10 degrees per minute. In another embodiment, the ramp rate during heating is 2-5 degrees per minute. The calcination time is from 2 hours to 48 hours.

During calcination in the method above, water may generate between 0-800° C. during the calcining step. Since during calcination, the precursors underwent decomposition and/or oxidation to yield the expected products, the cathode active particles. During the calcining step, the following reaction occurred based on formulas 1-3, wherein M(OH)₂, M(CO₃) and M(C₂O₄) may be one of the precipitated particles from the solution, M refers to metals:

M(OH)₂=MO_(x)+H₂O  (formula 1)

M(CO₃)=MO_(x)+CO/CO₂  (formula 2)

M(C₂O₄)=MO_(x)+CO/CO₂  (formula 3).

Tables 2 and 3 show moles of water evolved from calcination of 1 mol of M(OH)₂/MCO₃ precursor (i.e., lithiation process) when using different lithium source. We can get that while the exact water release is complicated by the choice of lithium source, it is apparent that hydroxide precursor particles will generate water while carbonate and oxalate anion presence will result in some carbon-oxide species.

TABLE 2 Moles of water evolved from calcination of 1 mol M(OH)₂/MCO₃ precursor when the lithium source is LiOH•H₂O 1 mol M(OH)₂/MCO₃ M(OH)₂/MCO₃ M(OH)₂/MCO₃ M(OH)₂/MCO₃ precursor M(OH)₂ MCO₃ (1:1) (1:1) (1:1) (1:1) lithiation Water evolved from calcination (mol)  90% 2.25 mol 1.35 mol 1.80 mol 1.95 mol 2.03 mol 2.07 mol 100% 2.50 mol 1.50 mol 2.00 mol 2.17 mol 2.25 mol 2.30 mol 103% 2.58 mol 1.55 mol 2.06 mol 2.23 mol 2.32 mol 2.37 mol 110% 2.75 mol 1.65 mol 2.20 mol 2.38 mol 2.48 mol 2.53 mol 120% 3.00 mol 1.80 mol 2.40 mol 2.60 mol 2.70 mol 2.76 mol 130% 3.25 mol 1.95 mol 2.60 mol 2.82 mol 2.93 mol 2.99 mol

TABLE 3 Moles of water evolved from calcination of 1 mol M(OH)₂/MCO₃ precursor when the lithium source is Li₂CO₃ 1 mol M(OH)₂/MCO₃ M(OH)₂/MCO₃ M(OH)₂/MCO₃ M(OH)₂/MCO₃ precursor M(OH)₂ MCO₃ (1:1) (1:1) (1:1) (1:1) lithiation Water evolved from calcination (mol)  90% 0.90 mol 0.00 mol 0.45 mol 0.60 mol 0.68 mol 0.72 mol 100% 1.00 mol 0.00 mol 0.50 mol 0.67 mol 0.75 mol 0.80 mol 103% 1.03 mol 0.00 mol 0.52 mol 0.69 mol 0.77 mol 0.82 mol 110% 1.10 mol 0.00 mol 0.55 mol 0.73 mol 0.83 mol 0.88 mol 120% 1.20 mol 0.00 mol 0.60 mol 0.80 mol 0.90 mol 0.96 mol 130% 1.30 mol 0.00 mol 0.65 mol 0.87 mol 0.98 mol 1.04 mol

The content of water evolved from the cathode particle precursor and Li precursor will be decreased when an anion composition gradient material is prepared, because CO/CO₂ will be evolved partially during the decomposition reactions instead of H₂O, just as formulas 2 and 3 show.

The calcination is conducted under atmosphere selected from N₂, air, dried air, oxygen or some combination thereof. The calcination temperature is critical for concentration gradient materials, since too high, too long, or a combo of the two may cause so much cation diffusion that a gradient is no longer present in the final cathode active particles.

To characterize and analysis the precipitated cathode active particles which have concentration gradient elements, SEM, porosimetry, pycnometer and particle size distributions can be utilized. The presence of a concentration gradient can be confirmed by depth profiling a particle or via cross-sectioning a particle and using an EDS line scan or electron microprobe analyzer.

The precipitated and cathode active particles can be characterized using the particle size distribution D10, D50, D90 or the Sauter mean diameter d₃₂. The Sauter mean diameter d₃₂ can be calculated by the formula

${d_{32} = \frac{\Sigma_{k = 1}^{N}n_{k}d_{k}^{3}}{\Sigma_{k = 1}^{N}n_{k}d_{k}^{2}}},$

wherein “n_(k)” is the relative fraction and “d_(k)” is the bin diameter from the particle size distribution. The particle size distribution can be collected via a light scattering instrument. In one embodiment, the prepared cathode active particles have a Sauter mean diameter at a range of 0.5-30 μm. In another embodiment, the Sauter mean diameter is at a range of 1-15 μm.

The porosity of the prepared cathode active particles can be analyzed using BET and BJH analysis.

The prepared cathode active particles can be used in lithium-ion battery, in which the prepared cathode active particles include Li and transitional metals. In detail, in one embodiment, the prepared cathode active particles are mixed with a binder and conductive particles to form a mixture slurry. The mixture slurry is further cast onto a metallic foil to form a cathode electrode. The cathode electrode can be used in a lithium-ion battery.

To test the cathode material performance, galvanotactic charge-discharge tests can be performed. The material capacity, cycle retention, rate performance and cycle efficiency can all then be determined.

Example 1

FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of the reaction device to form the cathode active particles. As shown in FIG. 1, the reaction is conducted with the following steps: Firstly, placing a 10 L glass reactor into a jacketed stirred tank, filling the glass reactor with 3 L of 0.5M aqua ammonia and stirred at 500 rpm. At the same time sparging N₂ gas through the solution to remove oxygen from the water and headspace of the reactor, and controlling the temperature of the solution to 50° C. via circulating hot water through the jacket. Meanwhile, in order to control the pH of the solution, feeding a 10.6M NaOH solution with a pH controller at set-point 10.7.

And then, pumping a 2M 90:10 Ni:Co metal sulfate solution (the first cation composition A₁) into the reactor at a flowrate of 125 mL/hr and a 9.6M aqua ammonia solution at a flowrate of 20 ml/hr. Proceeding the feeding for 21.3 hrs, and then ceasing the metal sulfate and aqua ammonia feeds. Particle slurry was formed in the reactor.

Optionally, filtering to remove the liquids and washing the particle slurry using a Buchner funnel until the filtrate conductivity was below 100 mS, at which point the wet Ni:Co 90:10 filter cake was placed into a container with a constant N₂ cover. Such step would facilitate the hydroxide anion to grow directly in the core. Next, feeding 3 L of 0.2M aqua ammonia solution into another 10 L glass reactor, sparging with N₂ gas into the solution to remove oxygen therein. And then, adding 19 wt % of the collected Ni:Co 90:10 filter cake to the solution. Heating the solution to 50° C. while stirring at 500 rpm. These steps are optional.

And then, pumping a 2M Ni:Mn:Co 6:2:2 metal sulfate solution into the reactor at a flowrate of 125 mL/hr for the first 3.2 hrs. Concurrently pumping a 1.5M sodium carbonate solution, the feeding of the sodium carbonate starting with 400 mL of liquid at 0.5 mL/min into a tank originally containing 400 mL of 3M sodium hydroxide. Pumping The tank originally containing sodium hydroxide was pumped into the reactor continuously at 1 mL/min. Separately, the 3M NaOH solution was controlled by a metering pump to maintain the reactor pH. The reactor pH set-point started at 9 and was decreased by 0.2 every hour.

At 3.2 hours, the pH control solution was switched from 3M sodium hydroxide to 1.5M sodium carbonate, and 0.64 mol of aluminum sulfate powder was added to the transition metal sulfate Ni:Mn:Co 6:2:2 solution. All other flows remained the same into the reactor. At 6.4 hrs, the flows and stirring for the reactor were stopped. The particle slurry was filtered and washed. The filter cake was dried at 100° C. under nitrogen overnight before being characterized.

In order to make the feeding clearer, table 4 lists partial materials added in partial stage and their relevant information provided by the method of example 1.

TABLE 4 partial materials and relevant information in example 1 concen- tration flowrate time amount Materials added Ni:Mn:Co 6:2:2   2M 125 mL/hr 3.2 hrs / Sodium carbonate  1.5M 0.5 mL/min / 400 mL NaOH 10.6M 1 mL/min / / NaOH (pH controller)   3M / / / Materials added 3.2 hrs later Ni:Mn:Co 6:2:2   2M 125 mL/hr 3.2 hrs / Sodium carbonate  1.5M 0.5 mL/min / 400 mL NaOH 10.6M 1 mL/min / / Sodium carbonate  1.5M / / / (pH controller) Aluminum sulfate 0.64 mo1 / / / (dopant)

To verify the particle structure, a Hitachi SU8010 SEM that is able to use a focused ion beam to cross-sectional particles was used to study the particle structure. After cross section, EDS was used to determine the relative locations of elements within the sample particles studied. FIG. 6 shows the spots on the cross section of one particle precursor for ED observation, wherein triangles indicates the locations of EDS data collection region. Table 5 shows the elemental analysis results on cross-sectional particle precursor in example 1. FIG. 7 shows carbon signature of EDS line scan of the cross-sectional particle precursor of Example 1, wherein carbon is derived from a component of the sodium carbonate anion. In FIG. 7, the character “C” means carbon, and “K” after “C” is an alpha radiation signature.

TABLE 5 Results of EDS elemental analysis on precursor particle of Example 1 EDS Spot EDS Spot 1 EDS Spot 2 EDS Spot 3 Weight Atomic Weight Atomic Weight Atomic Element % % % % % % C 3.48 8.60 3.79 8.72 6.67 15.13 O 31.44 58.27 34.69 59.95 30.11 51.28 Al 0.37 0.41 3.81 3.91 7.08 7.15 Mn 1.81 0.98 8.55 4.30 12.57 6.23 Co 6.28 3.16 12.53 5.88 11.80 5.46 Ni 56.61 28.59 36.62 17.25 31.77 14.75

From table 5 we can get that the Al content increases near the surface. Meanwhile, table 5 also shows that the carbon content increase near the surface. FIG. 7 shows a carbon signature of EDS line scan of cross-sectional particle precursor of example 1. As shown in FIG. 7, the carbon signature is strongest at the location where the distance of 15, and at the distances around 8-15 the carbon signature gradually becomes stronger. Since carbon is derived from sodium carbonate solution, the data in table 5 and FIG. 7 is consistent with the steps for forming the particle with a concentration gradient within the particle.

In view of the above, the method of the present disclosure has the following advantages:

Firstly, since different cations can be precipitated with different anions separately, the transition metal dopants other than Ni, Co and Mn cations that are incompatible with the core anion species under the processing conditions can be easily added to the particle precursor in the shell. And vice versa, wherein cations or other dopants that can only be compatible with the core anion under the processing conditions can be added to the particle before switching to an incompatible processing location for the shell. Particularly, Al³⁺ can be added to the particle precursor during the co-precipitation under the premise that there is hydroxide in the solution which can form precipitation with Al³⁺; in such conditions, no additional organic chelating additives are needed to remove Al³⁺, and the precipitation kinetics are avoided to be slowed without chelating agents. Because of this, Ni-rich particles precursor can have Al dopant into the particle without using organic chelating additives, the Ni-rich particles precursor has a mole ratio of Ni to transitional metals higher than 0.7. The concentration of Al³⁺ deposited into the particles can be adjusted based on the time feeding the Al³⁺ dopants and the time when switching the anions.

Secondly, no matter where the gradient portion is located, in the core or in the shell, the concentration gradient of the anion species ensures that there is smooth transition between different anion species, that is, the transition from the former anion to the latter is not a sharp change, but a gradual switching. Because of this, the gradient portion endows the particle precursor a gradient surface, which makes the transition from the portion having only the first anion to the portion having both the first and second anions becomes more smoothly. The particle precursor is more solid during later processing, and cracks or delamination would not occur. This has great improved the duration and life-span of the cathode particles prepared based on the particle precursor.

Thirdly, due to the feeding of elements Ni, Mn, Al etc. into the reaction, the cobalt content will be below 20% of the total transition metal ratio, and preferably below 5%, and more preferably 0% cobalt will be present in the cathode precursor particle. Because of this, the cost is greatly decreased.

Fourthly, during calcination, anions of CO₃ or C₂O₄ would evolve CO/CO₂ gas, which makes non-homogeneous porosity within the particles. Since the concentration of the anions are gradually changed, the porosity within the particles would also be gradually increased, especially near the surface of the particles. Hence, the material may have improved transport properties during high rate electrochemical testing. Fifthly, the content of water evolved from the cathode particle precursor and Li source will be decreased when an anion composition gradient material is prepared, because CO/CO₂ will be evolved partially instead of H₂O during the decomposition reactions.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The method of the present disclosure can prepare transitional-metal particle precursor and cathode active particles under co-precipitation reaction. The particle precursor has a core-shell structure, the core and the shell are made of different anions. Such cathode active particle can be used to prepare cathode of lithium-ion battery. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for preparing a core-shell structured particle precursor, comprising the following steps: from an initial time t₀ to a first time t₁, feeding a first anion composition B₁ through a first container into a reactor, and feeding a first cation composition A₁ through a second container into the reactor, the first anion composition B₁ and the first cation composition A₁ reacting and precipitating in the reactor, t₁ comes after to, t₀=0; at the first time t₁, the first container is full of the first anion composition B₁, the second container is full of the first cation composition A₁; feeding a second anion composition B₂ and the first anion composition B₁ through the first container into the reactor from the first time t₁ to a second time t₂, t₂ comes after t₁, during which the first anion composition B₁ is gradually switched to the second anion composition B₂; and feeding at least the first cation composition A₁ through the second container into the reactor from the first time t₁ to the second time t₂, thereby forming a precipitated particle slurry; and filtering, and drying the precipitated particle slurry to yield the particle precursor; preferably, the step that the first anion composition B₁ is gradually switched to the second anion composition B₂ comprises the following steps: at the first time t₁, the first container is full of the first anion composition B₁; gradually feeding the second anion composition B₂ into the first container from the first time t₁ to a second time t₂, t₂ comes after t₁, where the first anion composition B₁ and the second anion composition B₂ form a dynamic mixture; and feeding the dynamic mixture through the first container into the reactor from the first time t₁ to the second time t₂, at the second time t₂, the first container is mainly full of the second anion composition B₂.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first anion composition B₁ and/or the second anion composition B₂ has a concentration 0.001-14 mol anion/L; and/or the first cation composition A₁ has a concentration 0.001-6 mol cation/L.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first anion composition B₁ and/or the second anion composition B₂ is at least one selected from the group consisting of NaOH, Na₂CO₃, NaHCO₃, Na₂C₂O₄, LiOH, Li₂CO₃, LiHCO₃, Li₂C₂O₄, KOH, K₂CO₃, KHCO₃, K₂C₂O₄, or combination of the species; and/or the first cation composition A₁ is at least one selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Zr, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Al, in a form of sulfate, carbonate, chloride, nitrate, fluoride, oxide, hydroxide, oxyhydroxide, oxalate, carboxylate, acetate, phosphate or borate; preferably, the first anion composition B₁ is hydroxide salts, the second anion composition B₂ is at least one selected from the group consisting of carbonate, oxalate, hydroxide, or combination thereof; more preferably, a content of hydroxide in the stream (b) is no less than 80 wt %, a content of CO₃ ²⁻ anion and/or C₂O₄ ²⁻ anion is no less than 40 wt %.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein method further comprises the following step: feeding the second anion composition B₂ and the first cation composition A₁ into the reactor from the second time t₂ to a third time t₃, t₃ comes after t₂.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein during the initial time t₀ to the second time t₂, only the first cation composition A₁ is fed into the reactor.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein from the initial time t₀ to the first time t₁, the first cation composition A₁ is fed through the second container into the reactor; and from the first time t₁ to the second time t₂, feeding a second cation composition A₂ and the first cation composition A₁ through the second container into the reactor, during which the first cation composition A₁ is gradually switched to the second cation composition A₂; preferably, the step that the first cation composition A₁ is gradually switched to the second cation composition A₂ comprises the following steps: at the first time t₁, the second container is full of the first cation composition A₁; gradually feeding the second cation composition A₂ into the second container from the first time t₁ to the second time t₂, where the first cation composition A₁ and the second cation composition A₂ form a dynamic mixture; feeding the dynamic mixture through the second container into the reactor from the first time t₁ to the second time t₂; at the second time t₂, the second container is mainly full of the second cation composition A₂.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein from the initial time t₀ to a switching time t_(s), the first cation composition A₁ is fed through the second container into the reactor, t_(s) is between the first time t₁ and the second time t₂; and from the switching time t_(s) to the second time t₂, feeding a second cation composition A₂ and the first cation composition A₁ through the second container into the reactor, during which the first cation composition A₁ is gradually switched to the second cation composition A₂; preferably, the step that the first cation composition A₁ is gradually switched to the second cation composition A₂ comprises the following steps: at the switching time t_(s), the second container is full of the first cation composition A₁; gradually feeding the second cation composition A₂ into the second container from the switching time t_(s) to the second time t₂, where the first cation composition A₁ and the second cation composition A₂ form a dynamic mixture; feeding the dynamic mixture through the second container into the reactor from the switching time t_(s) to the second time t₂; at the second time t₂, the second container is mainly full of the second cation composition A₂.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first cation composition A₁ and the second cation composition A₂ has a cation ratio of Ni_(x)Mn_(y)Co_(z)Me_(1-x-y-z), where x+y+z≤0.9, z≤0.2, “Me” is at least one additional metal elements selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Zr, Ti, V, Cr, Fe, Cu and Al; preferably, the first cation composition A₁ has a cation ratio of Ni_(x)Mn_(y)Co_(z)Me_(1-x-y-z), where x+y+z≥0.9, 0.75≤x≤1; 0≤z≤1:1.1; and/or the second cation composition A₂ has a cation ratio of Ni_(x)Mn_(y)Co_(z)Me_(1-x-y-z), where x+y+z≥0.9, 0.3≤x≤0.7; 0.25≤y≤0.5, Me is at least one additional metal elements selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Zr, Ti, V, Cr, Fe, Cu and Al.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein a pH during the reaction is 7-13 which is gradually changed, the pH is 9.5-12.5 when precipitating hydroxides, the pH is 7-10 when precipitating carbonates; and/or a temperature during the reaction is 30-80° C.
 10. A core-shell structured particle precursor as prepared by the method of claim 1, comprising a core and a shell enwrapping the core, the core is made of precipitations of a first anion composition B₁ and a first cation composition A₁, the shell is gradient and is made of co-precipitations of the first anion composition B₁, a second anion composition B₂ and at least the first cation composition A₁, the first anion composition B₁ is gradually changed to the second anion composition B₂ in the shell from inner to outer; preferably, the particle precursor has a formula of (Ni_(x)Mn_(y)Co_(z)Me_(1-x-y-z))(CO₃)_(a)(OH)_(2-2a), where x+y+z≥0.9, z≤0.2, 0≤a≤1, “Me” is at least one additional metal element selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Zr, Ti, V, Cr, Fe, Cu and Al.
 11. The particle precursor of claim 10, wherein the shell further comprises a second cation composition A₂, the first cation composition A₁ is gradually changed to the second cation composition A₂ within the shell.
 12. The particle precursor of claim 10, wherein the particle precursor further comprises a periphery part enwrapping the shell, the periphery part is made of precipitations of the second anion composition B₂ and the first cation composition A₁.
 13. The particle precursor of claim 10, wherein the shell is divided into an intermediate part and a gradient part based on the cations, the first anion composition B₁ is gradually changed to the second anion composition B₂ within the shell, the intermediate part further comprises the first cation composition A₁, the gradient part further comprises the first cation composition A₁ and the second cation composition A₂, the first cation composition A₁ is gradually changed to the second cation composition A₂ within the gradient part. 